Ambassador Programme
Programme Summary
Length: Up to 2 years long
Residential: Annual trip to Glen Etive
Theme: Transition from participant to volunteer
Develop:
- Business Understanding – Ability to understand everything a charity requires to operate
- Governance Understanding – Ability to understand how a charity is governed
- Volunteer Understanding – Ability to understand how to volunteer effectively
What our Ambassadors do
Our Ambassador group meets bi-weekly on Zoom to:
Check-in on our mental, physical & emotional health
Peer support
Updates on Venture Scotland
Discussions around current Ambassadors’ projects
Ambassador projects have included:
- Interviewing potential new staff and trustees
- Attend bi-monthly Board meetings to input into the strategic direction of the organisation
- Writing thank you letters to funders
- Inviting MP’s, MSP’s and local councillors to meet
- Inputting into consultations
- Helping delivery staff as trainee volunteers
- Helping advise and shape our core programme
- Helping advise and shape funding bids for new programmes
Ambassador Selection
Ambassadors need to have completed all 4 of Venture Scotland’s programmes and are invited 6 months after the end of Next Steps to go through a selection process.
Current Ambassadors
Fraoch Lux
VS Graduation: June 2022
Became VS Ambassador: April 2023
Favourite VS activity: Long walks with deep talks
Prior to VS I felt limited and without hope for the future; embarking on the programme was my way of shifting this narrative for myself in a supportive and challenging environment.
Following on from my Venture Scotland experience I have studied Outdoor Adventure on the Isle of Skye with the aim to work in the outdoor industry.
Being an ambassador means having my lived experience valued, being able to develop further and nurturing a reciprocal relationship with a place that helped me see a way forward.
Patrick Brzostowicz
VS Graduation: November 2022
Became VS Ambassador: August 2023
Favourite VS activity: Building fires in the howff at Glen Etive and jumping into the sea in Fife!
Before Venture Scotland, I used to struggle to trust people after being hurt so many times.
After I finished the programme, I felt like a new person as it helped me overcome my long-term mental health challenges and I learned that it’s OK to trust the people around me.
I’m looking forward to being part of Venture Scotland in different ways, such as volunteering and getting to know how a charity works. I got so much out of VS and I simply want to give back my energy, my time and my skills. I want to learn as much as possible from the incredible VS team.
Ishbel Lapslie
VS Graduation: June 2022
Became VS Ambassador: April 2023
Favourite VS activity: Being at the bothy in Glen Etive
VS not only changed my life, but also helped spark a love for the outdoors and the desire to help others too.
I hope that becoming an Ambassador will allow me to give back to the place which gave me so much, and to hopefully help others find those positive changes and discover a way forward.
You will most likely find me out with the dog, climbing, or volunteering at the Riding for the Disabled.